August Tips Header
Home, school, work, senior living communities, homeowner or neighborhood associations, affinity groups, church—you are planted in many places.
Time to bloom for the sake of God’s sacred planet and beloved inhabitants.
Fortunately, the ways to restore this garden God has given us to care for are bountiful and beautiful! Happy blooming!
You are not alone! Research shows 64% of employees want to know that their company is doing something to contribute to a sustainable future. Through conversations with coworkers, gather ideas of how your workplace can help—even if small steps. With the backing of your colleagues and research, follow these five ways to get sustainability on the agenda at work.
Creation Justice ident
Heat, drought, and lightning are the “perfect storm” to ignite wildfires, which scorch the ground and pollute the air for hundreds of miles. Additionally, the loss of the trees negatively impacts God’s systems that capture carbon for the health of the earth. Support organizations that replant trees after wildfires.
Put your senators on your “speed dial.” Call them regularly. You don’t have to talk directly to them or for more than a minute or two. The recording or the staff person will add your yay or nay to the tally column to give the lawmaker a sense of support or opposition to an action. Do state that you are both a constituent and a person of faith.
Reuse a plastic bottle to decrease the water wasted in flushing a toilet. Fill the bottle with sand or pebbles, put it in the tank. An average home can save about five gallons of water every day.
Whatever you do to care for God’s creation and for justice is important and needed. But changing big systems is also crucial. Voting season is upon us. Vet your candidates for their commitments to address climate-change related issues—especially justice for those most adversely affected.
August 20–24 is World Water Week, the focus of which is accelerating change to create a water-wise world. In the spirit of “Be the change you want to see in the world,” look around you: What needs and opportunities do you have? Practice conservation at home. Work for preservation of nearby waterways. Start conversations to encourage others to also be water-wise.
Reap the harvest. Shop for food locally at farmers markets. Give thanks for those whose work feeds you and others. Care for the planet by reducing the carbon emissions that come from shipping food long distances. Eat more fruits and veggies and reduce the high cost to your body and the planet from other foods. Compost any food scraps.
Put the sun to work. God provides renewable energy for all. Assess the possibilities you have, including solar for home, garage, business, and church rooftops, as well as and community-shares panels. If those are not available or feasible currently, begin planning for using solar or wind in the next few years. Know that when people see solar panels installed, they are more willing to try them too. Be an influencer.
To God’s prophet Jeremiah, it seemed nobody was listening as he warned of impending doom. In the face of climate change, we too may feel ineffectual. Take heart from Jeremiah, who was faithful to his call from God to speak up. He trusted God and bought land as a sign of hope. Continue to do all you can and talk about your hopes for a more just and verdant future.
With school starting, pass along clothes children have outgrown to another family. With fall coming, freshen wardrobes by exchanging outfits with friends of the same size. Reuse clothing to save money—and landfill space and the consequent global warming. Good for you and good for the earth.